Milling machine



Jan. l, i929. Y

G. D. SUNDSTRND MILLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 3,924

3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. l, 1929.

5 Sheng-sheet 2' MILLING MACHINE G. D. fsuNDs'i-RAND Filed Jan. 16, 11924 MAM.

Jan. 1929.

D. .SUNSTRAND MILLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1 6. 1924 ifI .Patented Jan. 1; 1929.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE. I

GUSTAF DAVID'SUNDSTBAND, OF ROCKFOBD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .ASSIGN'` EENTS, T SUN DSTRAND MACHINE TO0-L CO., OF BOCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

MILLING MACHINE.

Applicationtiled January 16, 1924. Serial No. 686,519.

The invention relates in general to milling machines, but has particular reference to a machine of this class which is especially frequent intervals.

adapted for use in reclaiming worn tie members such as are commonly employed in railway construction for connecting the rails, and which are commonly termed splice bars.

One of the problems which has long conlfronted railway construction and maintenance departments concerns the constant necessity for renewing such splice bars at For many years these bars when worn were treated merely as scrap` and as such had very little value. rom time to time efforts have been madey to restore the bars to e'lieient condition by rerolling and drop-forging. These methods,y however,

have proven unsuccessful primarily because the operations result necessarily in a distortion of the metal, causing a displacement of the bolt holes such as to alter their standardizedlocation. Still 'others have sought to avoid excessive waste by planing and by milling worn bars of the larger sizes so as to reduce them to smaller required sizes. The latter method has met with a measure of success,

. but the machines thus far 'produced have proven unsatisfactory because of the amount of time andlabor required to operate them, because of their limited capacity, and because of the diiliculty with which the chips are removed.

In producing the milling machine of my present invention, I have aimed to overcome the objections to formerl machines of' this type and among the objects in vieyv are to' provide milling cutters capable of operating simultaneously upon the work so as to complete' its reformation in one operation; to provide a work holder whereby while one or more pieces of work are being operated upon bythe milling cutters, other pieces may beA fastened'in p ace Vupon -the work holder; to so arrange the work holder as to render the "fastening of the work invplace as well as its vide a machine which is exceptionally rugged in construction, with the milling cutters rigidly supported to prevent chatterin and which is otherwise of a very eilicient c arac- 4 ter. I have lshown in the accom anying drawings a preferred embodiment o my invention. 4

Therein,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the machine. j

Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine but with one column broken away to show the work, holder support. v

Fig. 3 vis a fragmentar vertical sectional view taken substantially 1n the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fra entary sectional view showmg a detail o construction.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view througha railway rail illustrating the manner in which the splice bars when reduced in size may be reemployed, the original size of the bars being' shown in broken lines.

The machine comprises generally a bed 7 having' mounted thereon a table 8 which is slidable transversely and has at its i'orwardr and rear ends uprights 9 and 10 in which is pivoted a work holder 11. I provide in the present instance two pairs or sets of milling vcutters 12-12 and 13-13a. The cutters 12, l2a are end mills, spaced apart longitudinally of the-bed so 'as to permit the work holder to pass therebetween, and the cutters 13, 13av are ldisposed below the cutters 12, 12".

The work holder is adapted to pass between the cutters 12, 12a with itslower portion supporting separate pieces of work for passage between the upper and lower cutters, and with its uppper portlon projecting above the u per work.

, To supportV the forward portion of the table'8, the bed. 7 comprises la. portion 7* extendingl forward from a main longitudinally extending portionl 7". Near the opposite.

ends of the latter I provide uprights or columns 14 andl/J;a the forwardl faces of which are provided `with suitable vertically disposed ways in which are mounted bearing heads 15 and 15a having spindles for the upper or end mills 12 and 12a. Said heads are mounted for up and down adjustment by any suitable means. Herein I have shown in cutters to permit easy replacement o the l'oo each instance a screw 16 mounted in an arm 17 carried by the upright or column and screw-threaded at its lower end in a lug 18. j

Projecting forwardly from the bearinor head below the adjustable heads --15, provide bearing heads 19 and 19 also adjustable in ways 19". In these lower heads are journaled the spindle and arbor for the lower set of cutters 13-,-13. For each of the upper ycutters 12, 12* I provide a spindle 2() which terminates a short distance beyond the inner `end of the head, the Icutters being suitably secured, uponthe ends of the s indles for quick detachment in any suitab e and well known manner.

For the cutters 13, 13ist I preferably provide a. driving `spindle 21 suitably journaled in the head 19 and having removably secured .thereto in any well known way an arbor 21* extending between the heads and journaled in the head 19'?. Said arbor carries the cutters 13,13* which are held in properly spaced sleeves 22 and 23 and an intermediate bushv on `the ing-v 24. Endwise movement of the cutters shaft portion 21'* is prevented by a nut 25 ging with the end sleeve 23.

VThe ta le 8 is suitably guided' upon the bed in a air of ways 26, and projecting upwardly on opposite side edges of the table are a pair o flanges 27 (Fig. 3) constituting .i rmit the pass and 10 comprises in the present instance an end walls for the tableand providing in effect a box' or receptacle into which the chips may observed that the table is located ow the lower cutters 13e-13". To e of the chips into the bed e latter is provided with a plu ty of relatively large apertures 28 near op ite sides thereof.

' e work holder 11 which is supported upon the front and rear'uprights or posts 9 fall, it bein directly be low the table, t

' ted block elo 29 approximately rectangular in form. It 1s vplvotally supported through the medium of a relatively large shaft Oupon the uprights 9 and 10, suitable bearings 31 and 32 bein provided on the respective uprights for t is purpose. At its rea-r end the shaft 'is reduced somewhat in diameter and is provided with a nut 33 screwthreaded upon the extreme end vof the shaft pojecting from the bearing 32;v and it will t seen that the rear upright 10 is made heavy so as to withstand the strain to which it is subjected in drawing the workpast the cutters. A collar 34 preferably is inserted between the bearing 32- and the enlarged portion of the shaft. In the lpresent instance the block 29 is constructedat each of-its four corners so as to provide seats for splice bars represented by the letter a. ,These bars may convenient-ly be secured to the block by means of bolts 35 permanently anchored in the Iblock and equipped with nuts 36. The bolts 35 are so arranged as to register with the holes in ,holder is preferably equipped with removable seat plates 36* and 36b (Fig. 3).

The axis of the shaft 30 is located midway between the cutters 12 and 12, and the cutters 13 and 13 are disposed below the axis of the work holder. are arranged to mill the under or lowermost surfaces of the b'ars, while the u per edges thereof are simultaneously milled by the cutters 12 and 12a. It will be observed, however, that the axis of the cutters 12 and 12 is disposed slightly below the axis of the shaft 30 in order to provide clearance between the bars when in their upper or loading position (Fig. 3) and the upper cutters 12 and Thus the lower cutters.

ing fixture in entering between the two end 'relation upon the portion 21a by means of mills 12,12a coacts therewithto form a chamcenter upon the forward end of the'shaftl 30 which is reduced sli htly for .passage through the bearing 31. his bar 4carries at its extreme ends indexing plungers 38 having handles 39 projecting forwardly from the bar and adapted to enter a socket 40 provided by a bushing yset in the extreme forward end of the table 8. If desired, each of the plungers 38 may be provided with a pair of annular rooves 41 with which'a suitable detent 42 1n thevbar 37 is adapted to coalct to hold the plun er in desired position. B. this means the wor holder may be manual y operated through 1 80 degrees to carry the work from a loading to an operative position, and the holder is held in such positions by the plungers 38. To assist in holding the work holder against pivotal movement I provide in the bearing 32 for the rear end of the shaft a shoe 43 (Fig. entered in a groove in the bearing and seated upon the upper side of the shaft. Said shoe is adapted to be moved into clamping engagement with the shaft by means of a screw 44, the upper end of which has rigid therewith a lever 45 l tion 7b of the bed. The opposite end of this are preferably mounted in roller bearings 64v shaft 47 is connected by change speed ears 48 and 49 with a forward parallel sha t 50. The latter substantially centrally of the bed is connected by means of gears 51 and 52 with a. third shaft 53 directly forward of the shaft 50. The shaft 53 has a sprocket wheel 54 thereon which is connected by means of a chain 55 with a sprocket 56von a shaft 5,7 mounted forwardly of the bed. Parallel with the shaft 57 is a shaft 58 (Fig. 2) which is connected to the shaft 57 by lmeans lof a pair of cha-nge speed gears 59.

The spindles 20, 21 are driven from the shaft 53 as isalso the table through connection with the shafts 57 and 58. For driving each of the spindles 20, said shaft 53 isy con nected by bevel gearing 60 with a vertical shaft 61 the upper end ofwhich carries a worm 62 meshing with a worm wheel 63 on the spindle. The upper ends of the shaft 61 suitably supported in the heads 15 and 15a. The spindle drivin mechanism `described is qf a well known ciaracter and-while it is preferred, any other suitable driving means may be employed.

The lower spindle 21 may be similarly driven from the shaft 53 by means of a worm drive 65 connected with a projectincr end of the shaft 53 through the medium of a vertical shaft 66 and bevel gearing 67. A suitable housing 68 isprovided for the worm ldrive gearing 65, and a housing 69 is provided for the bevel gearing 67, the shaft 66 being journaled at its opposite ends in the housings 68 and 69.

For actuating the table from the shaft 53 I utilize the shafts 57 and 58 and associated clutch controlled connections to effect the operation of afeed screw 70 whereby to feed the workto the milling cutters at a proper rate of speed and return it rapidly to its forward position. The feed screw 70 extends in a front to rear direction. (Fig. 2) being suitf. ably journaled in the bed, and at its for-y ward end carries two worm wheelsl 71`and 7 2l which are varranged to be connected with the screw by means of a sliding clutch member 73. Saidv worm wheels 71 and 72 mesh respectively with worms 7 4 and 75 on the shafts 57 and 58, and the gear ratio is such that when Y the clutch member is operated to drive the worm wheel 72, the feedscrew 7 6 is driven.

at a slow speed and in a direction to feed the work into engagement -withthe milling cutters; and conversely when the clutch is operated to connect 'the worm wheel 71 with the fee-d screw 70, the latter is reversely operated at a high rate of speed so as to effect a quick` return of the work holder. -Preferably the gearing connections for driving the feed screw are suitably housed within a, housing 70 (Fig. 1). x

Preferably I provide means for automatically controlling the movements of the Work holder. Thus I provide a stop bar 76 having stop 81 to operate the clutch member 3 and cause the feed worm 70 to be reversely rotated by the worm wheel 71, worm` 74 and shaft 57 which results in areturn movement of the table at a relatively high speed. Conversely, when the pin-82 in-the outward travel of the table strikes the stop 80, the clutch is operated into neutral position. The table is thus brought to rest in which position it remains until the operator sets it in motion through the manual operation of the lever 7 9. As will be apparent from Fig. 2, the connection between the feed screw 7G and the table is accomplishedthrough a depending nut 83 which is secured to the under side of the table and with which the screw has a threaded engagement. On l of the feed screw 70 I provide a hand wheel 84 for the manual operation of the table for purposes of adjustment.

A lubricating fluid 'or coolant is supplied in a large volume to both sets of milling cutters byany suitable means'. I have herein shown a pair of conductors 85 for the upper cutters 12 and 12, (Fig. 1) which conductors 4 tened to the work holder in the loading operation without any danger .to the operator because of the close proximity of the upper cutters. The coolant is conducted to the lower the forward end set of cutters 13--132 bvmeans of a pair of I conductors 87 one only'being shown, Fig. 2)

` It willv be observed that the members 86 in addition to serving as guards to protect the workman from injury, also direct the chips downwardly onto the table. chips mingle with the coolant theyl fall downwardly upon the table, and, because of the provision of the relatively large apertures 28 in thetable the chips readily find their way into the base. The latter may be equipped As the with any suitable clean-out opening indicated l o at 88 in Fig. 2.

In Fig. .I have shown a Y my invention. The original kform of 'the y'bars is shown in brokenlines, and it willfbeireadily 'apparent -that the surfaces which `have become Worn in use are the upperfand 'lower inclined surfaces indicated at b and c. The operation of reducing the bars fto. lform irenewed wearing' surfaces b :and c involves,

therefore, the milling ofthe'upperiandlower l sides ofthe bar which I accomplish vvin my machine in asingle operation. iyway of summary this operation is as follows:

Assuming that the parts 'occupy' ythe vlpositions shownv in Fi 2, and that 1n the previous operation vt e lower vbars uponthe work holder have been milled, the'operator releases the clamp at the rear end of the Work holder shaft b operating the llever 45, and, grasping the andles39 at'theopposite ends of the T-bar 37 at :the 'forward end of the shaft, withdraws the lower lplunger 38 from the socket 40 in the forward end-ofthe table and Iswings the workholder through 180 degrees. Previously 'he has clamped in position upon the .upper side of the work holder a pair of splice bars rto b e milled. 1n such swinging movement-said bars kare carried into position -for movement between the 'twoV sets of milling cutters. In this position they are held by one of the plungers 38 enga ing the socket 40, and the shaft is further eld against turning by the'operation of the lever to clamp the rear end of the shaft.

The operator now pulls the clutch lever79 forwardly, setting in motion the feed `screw '70 actuated by the worm wheel 72 and the table moves inwardly carrying `the bars between the upper cutters 12 and 12a andthe lower cutters 13 and 13 and forming new wearing surfaces b and c (Fig. 5).l During the mil1ingoperation, the operator removes the previously milled bars now occup ing an uppermost position, and fastens in piace another set of bars. i

When the table has moved inwardly to carry the work just beyond the milling'cutters, the pin 82 on the table engages the stop 81 on the stop bar 76 and in operating the clutch lever 7 9efi'ects afdrivingconnection between the high speed worm wheel 71 andthe feed screw 70, with the result that the' table moves forwardlyat af relatively'high speed. As theftable approacheslthe extreme forward end of its movement the said member is engaged by the pin 82'and the clutch lever operated to throwthe clutch member holder is such that the vand easily removed from and fastened upon' Ethe Work holder and there `is an entire abi *senc'eof the annoyanceheretofore experienced tion, a bedV comprising a rear elo chine a single operator iscapable of attend` ing to fthe 'operation of "two machines. The construction andarran ement ofthe work rs may be quickly with :priormachines of coolant and chips discharged -in 4 all directions about the'vicinity 'tliemillingftime suflicient time for this loading and unloading operation. Because the bars are completed in one operation it is unnecessary to set the work more than once. In previous machines, vso far as I am aware, only one surface is milled at a time so that two setting operations are neceary. A further advantage over prior machines is that the chips find their `way without assistance through the table into the bed of the machine, whereas formerly it has been necessary to employ a blast of air after each operation to clear from the machine the chips made in the previous operation.

The capacity of the machine of my inveneater,lbecause ofthe advanta es above set 'o'f'thecmillingcutters Indeed, in prior ma- 'chinas lit has not kbeen possible to reload the ort-h, than prior machines, an whereas in such prior machines two attendants have been necessary for each machine, one operator is capable of attending to the operation of two 0f the present machines.

A feature ofsubstantial importance is that y l vthe labor required in'loading the work upon the holder and removing it therefrom is greatly minimized. One reason for this is thatA the operator is able to assume a position directly on opposite sides of the work holder, avoiding any necessity for handling the relatively heavy -bars-at arms length, and also avoiding the necessity of climbing onto the "machine in order successfully to manipulate `the tools employed in `fastening the work in place as hasheretofore been the case.

-I claim as my invention:

1. A milling machine having, in combinaated portion and a forwardly'extending ront portion, said rearportion having an upright thereon, a table salidable transversely in the bed over said front portion, cutting means or. more apertures therein through which chips are arranged topass into the'bed, and

les

`mounted on said upright, a work holder lmounted on'the table, said table having one means for moving the table relative to the holder pivoted to turn on an axis perpendicuf lar to a plane passing through the axes of said cutters, said holder being adapted for the fastening of separate pieces of work upon its upper and lower sides, and means for lock ing the work holder against rotation.

3. A milling machine having7 in combination, a bed, two sets of milling cutters mount ed on longitudinal axes disposed one above the other, a work holder mounted to turn on an axis extending transverselyof the bed, the milling cutters of one of the sets being spaced apart a distance such that relative movement between the work holder and said spaced cutters is permitted, and said holder belng adapted for the fastening of separate pieces of work on each of two sides thereof, the arrangement being such that the pieces of work onv the v lower sidel of the holder are adapted for si- `multaneous engagement by the upper and lower milling cutters through rectilinear movement, and means for effecting relative rectilinear movement between the table and said cutters.

l4. A milling. machine having, in combina tion, a pair of cutters mounted on parallel axes spaced one above the other, work holding means comprising a vmember pivoted to .turn

- on a'transverse axis and adapted in turning through substantially 180 degrees .to move a p iece of work from an upper or loading posltion to a lower or operative position, said cutters being arrangedto operate upon opposed surfaces of said work simultaneously in relative rectilinear movement between the cutting means and the work, and means for effecting such relative rectilinear movement.

5. A milling machine having, in combination, two sets of alined milling cutters mounted on spaced parallel axes, and work holding means operable between the cutters of one set and pivoted to turnl on a transversely dis posed axislocated to one side of both of said parallel axes, the work holding means being adapted to support separate pieces of work for simultaneous engagement by cutters of each set.

6. A milling machine having, in combination, a pair of milling cutters mounted on' spaced parallel axes', one above' the other, a work holder-extending transveresly of the axis of said cutters and adapted to support a piece of work for engagement by both of said cutters simultaneously, means for effecting relative movement between the cutters and said support, and a guard enclosing the upper cutter, said support during the cutting operation being arranged to coact with said guard to form a downwardly opening housing above the upper cutter.

7. A milling machine having, in combina- .openings therein to tion, a pair of cutters mounted .on spaced parallel horizontal axes, a table mounted below said cutters, a work, support mounted on the table and arranged to carry a piece of work for engagement by both cutters, and means for eii'ecting relative movement between the table and said cutters, said support being adapted in such movement todeiiect chips from one of said -cutters downwardly upon the table.

8. A milling machine having, in combinausev tion a pair otcutters mounted on spaced parallel horizontal axesa table mounted below said cutters, a work support mounted on the table, means for effecting relative move? ment between the table and said cutters, said support being adapted in such. movement to defiect chips downwardly u on the table, and' a guard means above t e upper cutter adapted to coact with said support in delecting the chips downwardl 9. A milling machine having a pair of upper vcutters mounted coaxially but in spaced relation, a table having an elongated substantially rectangular supporting memv ber of a width slightly less than the distance between the cutters so as to be adapted to enter therebetween, a second pair of cutters mounted lbelow the firstA mentioned cutters in spaced relation thereto, said support being pivoted on an axis atrright angles to the axis of said cutters and adapted to have sep aratel pieces oiV work fastened thereto for passage between said upper and lower cutters simultaneously, each piece passing between an upper and a lower cutter. e

l0. A milling machine having a pair of upper cutters ,mounted coaxially but in spaced relation, a table having an elongated substantially rectangular supportin member of a width slightly less than the istance between the cutters so as to be adapted to enter therebetween, a second pair of cutters mounted below the lirst mentioned cutters in spaced relation thereto, said support being adapted to have separate pieces of work fastened thereto for passage between said up er vand lower cutters simultaIously,'and-a ta le upon which said supportis mounted having permit the passage of chips therethrough'. A' v l1'. A milling machine having a l alr of upper cutters mounted coaxially ut in spaced'relation, a table having an elongated substantially rectangular supportin member of a width slightly less than the lstance between the cutters sov as to be adapted to 'enter therebetween, a secondpair of cutters mounted below the first mentioned' cutters in spaced relation thereto, said support being adapted to have separate pieces of work fastened thereto for passage between said upper and lower cutters simultaneously, and a table upon Whiclnsaidasupport-is mounted having openings therein to permit thepassage ot tatably mounted on said tab I `verse axis located slightly above the axis of` e upon a transthe upper cutters and having means whereby pieces of work may be secured thereto while f the afesaid pieces of work are being milled. Y 12.

milling machine having a pair of upper cutters mounted Ycoaxially but in spaced relation, a .table having an elongated substantially rectangular supporting member of a width slightly less than the distance .be-

tween the cutters so as to be adapted to enter therebetween, a second *pair of cutters mounted below the first mentioned cutters in 'spaced relation thereto, said support betransverse airisA located slightly above the axis of the upper cutters and having means whereby iveces of work maybe secured thereto wh' e the aforesaid ieces of work are being milled, and guar members for the upper cutters arranged'A to permit the said new pieces of workto be secured in position durmg the cutting operation.

13. A milling machine having, in combination with two milling cutters, a work holder, a table upon which said work holder is rotatably `mounted, means for moving the ltable to feed the work-between said cutters including mechanism for automatically returning the table at the end of the cutting operation to its initial position, and means y for manually rotating the work holder from a loading position to an operative position while in such initial `sition.

14. Amilling machlne having,- in combination, cutting means, a table, a work holder g adpted to have separate pieces of work of chips therethrough, said support to be turned to present work assignee mounted on said table and adapted for move-` ment therewith transversely of said cutting means, said work holder including a shaft and said table having at its rear end means providing an elongated? bearing for said- 15. A millin machine having a bed, a col`- umn at one en of the bed, a pair of milling cutters mounted'on said column one above the' other, a table mounted on the bed for transverse movement, la work holder rotatably mounted on the table .and adapted to support a piece of work for passage between said cutters, means for conducting a coolant to the cutters, said table having apertures therein to permit the passage therethrough of the coo-lant, and means for reciprocating the table.

16. A milling machine having a bed, a table movable thereon, a millin cutter mounted above the table, a work hol means for movin the table to carry work on saidv work hol er into engagement with said lmilling cutter including a feed screw and a nut on the under side of the table engaging said work. and means providing an oil trougn upon the under side of the table in which said screw is enclosed, said table having apertures upon op osite 'sides of, said trough through which (Slips may pass into the bed;

17. A milling machine having a pair of 'axially alined end mills spaced apart, a second pair ofy cutters spaced inwardly with respect to` the end mills, and a work holding fixture mounted for en dwisemovement between the end mills, said fixture being also adapted on either side to said cutters. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature..

' GUSTAF DAVID SUNDSTRAND.

der on the table, v 

